“AHHH!” Echo yelled. “A BREACH! A BREACH!”
Black stared in bemusement, having no idea what he’d done wrong as Echo began spraying disinfectant on themself and spinning in circles.
“Now, now. We just need to be calm about this,” Hart said. “A calm mind brings inner strength.”
“Why does this guy talk like a walking quote book?” Heir grumbled as Saint rushed over to try and help calm Echo.
Wren caught Avery signing from where he was hovering awkwardly next to Midas, who had his arms crossed, decidedlyunimpressed with the whole scene. “Are secret missions always like this?”
Wren clenched his jaw. In other circumstances he might have enjoyed this. His family and Teddy’s coming together, and the natural chaos that ensued. But with Teddy in Kellan’s clutches he could only feel agitation and the desperate desire to move.
There were too many delays and all these people were slowing him down.
“I know you want to get to him fast, but we have to be smart about this,” Trace whispered to him, as if sensing his thoughts. “You shouldn’t take off on your own.”
Wren blinked at him. “How did you know?”
Trace gave him a wry smile. “Because it’s what he would have done for you.”
Wren fought the tears that wanted to fall.
“I also know that he would kill me if I let you go off half-cocked to rescue him,” Trace said. “He left this trail for you because he trusted you to save him, so let’s do it properly, huh?”
“Are you sure you’re a deadly curse specialist?” Wren asked. “You seem to like giving advice.”
“Having a best friend like Teddy rubs off on you, I guess. Which totally kills my mystique.”
“You’re all calling him Teddy now,” Wren said, and Trace offered him a smile.
“Damir never felt right,” Trace said. “Now we know why.” Wren snorted a small laugh and Trace smiled. “Let’s round them up and get moving again.”
Wren nodded, and together they managed to get them all back on task and following the trail. It would have been easier to send Blu and Sable scouting ahead, but fear of them running into any dangers had Wren keeping them close, so mostly it was up to them to spot the clues Teddy had left them.
Please hold on, he begged him in his mind over and over.I’m coming.
“There are more seeds over here—AH! My beautiful face!” Ash cried out as he hit the ground face-first with athump.
“Did you not notice the nuisance curse?” Heir drawled, walking over.
“Isn’t that your job to call out, asshole?” Ash grumbled, glaring and rubbing his nose.
“It seems we’ll have to watch our step and keep our eyes peeled for any extra curses along the way,” Hart mused, glancing around. “At least this means we must be on the right path, which is encouraging!”
“Is no one going to help me up?” Ash complained.
Trace walked over to offer him a meaty hand while Heir seemed to follow a vine along to its source wrapped around an exposed tree root. He opened his duffel bag and pulled out a hefty axe, twirling it in one hand to get a good grip before raising it over his head.
“Wait!” Wren said. “What are you doing?”
Heir gave him an annoyed glance. “What does it look like?”
“Destroying nature like a dumb deforester?”
“That’s how Heir breaks curses. He literally breaks them,” Saint said.
Wren frowned.
“It has other roots,” Heir said, growing impatient. “I’m sure it can lose one.”
